Central-delivery reaper.



No. 885,157. r :PATENTED APR.21, 1908.

q A HOVLAND.

' CENTRAL DELIVERY RBAPER.

APPLICATION IILBD FEB. 25; 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ITTOHNEYS 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIVI/EIVTOR WI/GUST HOVIL/YND PATBNTED APR. 21, 1908.

A. HOVLAND.

CENTRAL DELIVERY REAPER.

APILIOA'IIOHTILED FEB. 25, 1907 PATENTED APR. 21, 1908.

HOVLAND.

CENTRAL DELIVERY REAPER;

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1907.

I/W EIVTOR #1161157 Harm/v0 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M/T/VESSE'S AUGUST HOVLAND, OF WAUBAY, SOUTH DAKOTA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

CENTRAL-DELIVERY REAPEIL. A

Patented April 21, 19.08.

application filed February 25, 1907. Serial No. 359,095.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST HovLAND, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Waubay, in the county of Day and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Central-Delivery Reapers; and I ,do hereby declare the;

following to be a full, clear, and exact deuse for cutting grain.

I fall when out.

scription of the invention, such as will en-. able others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the harvesting of grain, and has for its immediate object .the provisionof an improved reaper. I

Ever since the date of the invention of the twine binder, it has been the universal custom to bind into bundles all grain, such as wheat, oats, flax and other grains that are to be threshed. For a much longerperiod of time, reapers and mowers have been in In the cutting of the grain by these reapers or mowers, the cut grain would fall in spread out sheets and with the heads of the grain u onor close to the ground, so that it woul not properly cure if left in the position into which it would Hence, it was necessary to bind and shock the cut grain insome man-- ner to prepare it for curing. I

My invention provides what may be termed a-duplex or central delivery reaper, and which is adapted to cut rain on both sides of the point 'of delivery 0 the machine,- and to deposit the cut grain in the form of a windrow in which the heads of the rain are arranged at the top of therow, "so t at the will properly cure inthe'position in whic they .are left by the reaper. By this opera.-

tion, binding or stacking of the cut grain as 40' a step preparatory necessary. In a companion application filed by me of even date herewit entitled Traveling thresher, I have rovided a machine es-' pecially adapted to pick up and thresh the grain left in windrows by my improved rea er, herein'disclosed and claimed.

he improved reaper is illustrated in the accompan ingdrawings, wherein like charactors in icatelike parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved reaper, some parts being broken awa Fig. 21s a transto threshing is made tun- .line to m of Fig. 1. showing the intermediate forward ortion of en away;

m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail in horizontal section, taken on the line 1: m of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken through the machine approximately on the irregular Fig.5 is a plan view,

the machine, some parts bein bro Fig. 6. is a section taken on the line x w of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken onthe line as a of Fi 6. Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on t e irre ular line a m of Fi 1; and Fig. 9 is a talen on the irregular line :11 as of Fig. 8.' So far as the broad idea of this invention is concerned, the improved. reaper may be pro elled forward, either by an engine carrie thereby, or by horseshitchedthereto, but. preferably, and as illustrated in the drawings, it is in thenature of a traction rig and is provided with an explosive engine, bymeans of which it is driven.

- The traction engine proper is made up, as

gine' crank shaft 6. The rear axle 2 is rigldly secured to the platform 1, while the front axle'4 is pivoted thereto for its steering orizontal section I that mesh with pinions 8- carried by the enmovements, and the front wheels 5 are loosely journaled thereon.

The front axle 4, outward of the wheel 5, is provided with rigidly secured bearing heads9 to which axle extensions 4 are piv- .otally connected with. freedom for vertical movements. onl [with respect to the said axle'or interme iate axle section 4. On the outer ends of the .extension axles 4, supportin wheels 10 are loosely journaled.

.4 xtending transversely of the machine, infront of the wheels 5 and 10, are two independently supported but transversely alined" grain receiving platforms 11, the inner ends of which are spaced apart to afford a delivery passage or opening 12. To the bottom of each p pair of strong rearwardly pro ectingarms 13 and.14. The arms. 13,. at their upturned rear ends, are pivotally connected at 15 to lugs of the corresponding axle heads 9, and said arms 14,in a similar manner, are PIV- otally attached at 16 to ears on the free ends atform 11 is rigidly secured a grain (see Fig. 2).

.is in the form 'of a grooved pulley 33.

of the vertically movable axle extensions 4 Small wheels 17 are applied to the forward portion of the arms 13 and 14. A fingerequipped sickle supporting bar 18 is. rigidly secured to the frontedge of each platform 11, and working in each toothed bar 18 is a sickle bar 19. Secured to one of the bars 18 and spanning the gap between the inner ends of the two sickles 19, (see Figs. 1 and 3) is a spreader 20. The abutting ends of the toothed bars 18 are provided with frictionally engaging segmental chafing lates 21 Working longitudinal y of each platform 11 are two endless conaeyerbclts 22-23. The outer portions of the belts 22-23 run over rollers 24-25, the common shaft 26 of which is suitably journaled in said platform and is provided at its projecting rear end with a pulley 27. The inner portions of the two forward belts 22 run over idle uide rollers 28, suitably journaled in the plat orms 11,.and likewise the inner portion of the two rear conveyer belts 23 run over similar guiderollers 29, also journaled in said latforms. The guide rollers 28 are located arther apart than the guide rollers 29 and, hence, of course, it follows that the rearconveyer belts 23 roject inward beyond the inner portions 0 the forward belts 22. This arrangement, as will hereinafter more clearly appear, causes the' belts to deliver the cut grain in awindrow with the heads of the grain assembled together in a sort of a ridge at the top of the windrow.

A lever 30 is'intermediately pivoted to the bottom ofeeach platform 11, and the forward end thereof is connected by a pitman 31 to the intermediate portion of the corresponding sickle 19. The rear ends of the levers 30 are connected by crank rods 32 to the crank in of a crank disk, which latter, as shown, Each pulley 33 is carried by a short shaft 34 which is j ournaled in an extended arm 9 of the oooperating head 9, which, as reviously noted, is rigidly secured to the a jacent outer end of the axle 4. At its rear end, each shaft 34 is provided. with a bevel pinion 35' that meshes with a bevel gear 36 carried b a short shaft 37 j ournaled in theadjacent head 9 and provided at its other end with a spur pinion 38 that meshes with an internal gear 39 of the correspondin front traction wheel 5. The connections ust described, as is obvious, will vibrate the sickle bars 19 under forward movement of the machine. The conveyer belts 22 and 23 are driven in the directions of the arrows marked thereon in Fig. 1, through the connections described and through driving belts 40 that run over the respective pulleys 33 and 27.

The reels used in connection with the cutting mechanism of the reaper may be of any provided with shafts 42 j ournaled in the forward ends of suitably braced supporting arms 43, which arms, in turn, as shown, are supported from the heads 9 and platforms 1]. On each reel shaft 42 is a sprocket 44. A sprocket chain 45 runs over each sprocket 44 and over a s rocket 46 carried by a short shaft 47 journa ed in an arm 48 of the adjacent head 9, and provided at its other end with a spur gear 49 thatmcshcs with the internal gear 39 of the adjacent wheel 5.

As a simple and efficient means for steering the machine, 1 preferably employ a pair of cables 50 which at their forward ends are attached one to the outer end of each axle extension 4. These cables are extended rcarwardly under the platform 1 and are attached at their rear ends to the o )posite ends of a windlass drum 51 upon winch they are reversely wound (see Figs. 1 and 4). The shaft of this Windlass drum is mounted in suitable bearings on the rear lower portion of the platforn'i 1, and at its central portion is provided with a worm gear 52 that meshes with a worm 53 on the lower end of an upright shaft 54. The shaft 54 is mounted in a suitable pedestal 55'on the rear portion of the platform 1, and at its upper end is provided with a hand wheel 56 by means of which it maybe rotated in either direction to steer the machine. tions of the cables 50 run against sheaves 50 on the under portion of the platform 1.

As a simple and efficient means for raising and lowering the two platforms 11 simultaneously, I provide mechanism which, as shown, comprises the following parts: The numeral 57 indicates a heavy metallic lifting yoke, the intermediate portion of which is segmental and follows the arc of a circle struck from the axis of the pivotal connection 1 between the latform 1 and the front axle 4. The ends of this yoke 57 are )ivotally connected to the upper ends'of iifting links 58, the lower ends of which are connected to the intermediate portions of the outer platform supporting arms 14, by means of slots 59 and studs 59 (sec particularly Fig. 8). The legs of the oke 57 are con- .nected to the axle extensions 4 by hinge joints 60 (see Figs. 8 and 9) and inward of said hinges, said yoke is'connectcd to the fixed axle heads 9 by links 61. The ivotal connections between said links 61 am heads 9 are transversely in line with the hinges 60, so that the yoke 57, while free for vertical oscillatory movementson the hinges 60 as fulcrums, are caused to act as braces to prevent the free ends of the axle extensions 4 from being forced rearward. The hinges 60 also permit the axle extensions 4 to independently raise and lower.

Pivoted toa bearing 62 on the forward por-' tion of the )latform 1 is a so-eallcd presser arm 63, which, near its rearwardly projecting free end, carries a wheel 64 that presses a worm gear 68.

directl against the 'upper face of the seg-j menta intermediate portion of the lifting yoke 57 A cable attached to the free end of the presser arm 63 runs under an idle guide sheave 66 on the latform 1 and is wound'upon a small-w'inr lass drum 67, the shaft of which is journaled in suitable bear- 'ings on the platform 1, and is provided with with a worm 69 carried by the lower end of an upri ht shaft 70 mounted in a bearing pedestal 71 on the platform 1, and provided W with a hand wheel 72 at its upper end, by

means of which it may be turned.

The free end of the presser arm 63 is con-.

nected by a link 73 to the upper end of a bracket or' mast 74, the lower end of which is pivoted to a bearing on theforward end of the platform 1. c The upper end of the mast e 74 is connected by a cab e 75 to the outer end of a V-shaped bracket 76 which is 'pivotally connected to bearings 77 on the axle'4. The free end of said bracket 76 is connected by a pair of cables 78 to the intermediate portions of the two inner platform supporting arms machine ma be steered, that IS, the platforms 11 an arts carried thereby may be oscillated in a orizontal lane without raising or lowering of the slckle or platforms.

' Normally, the platform will be so heldthat the wheels 17 on the platform supporting arms '13 and 14' will be out, of contact with the ground. The wheels 17, however, are adapted to be brou ht into contact with elevated portions of t e ground or, knolls,- and when thus engaged with the ground will raise'the' platforms and prevent the fingers of the bar 18 from bein thrown into' the ground. -As is evident, te flexible connections 7 5 78 and slotted links 58 permit the two revers'ely platform to raise as just stated when the wheels -17 are engaged with the ground? It is, of course, evident that under the forward movement of the machine the "grain whieh is cut will, by the reels 41, be thrown onto the inwardly moving convey r belts 22,23, and by said belts will be ca ried to the central discharge, opening 12 where the and inwardly movin streams of grain will e deposited in the windrow on'a lon itudinal line between the traction wheels of t e machine. It is also evident that the shorter belts 22\will drop the butt ends of the ain before the head ends of the grain are rop ed by the longer rear belts 23. This.

has t e effect of causmg the heads of the grain to be-carried to the central upper portion of The worm gear 68 meshes nner ends of said described.

thewindrow, or, in other words, farther inward and above the butt ends of the grain, thus depositing the gram in such manner that the heads of the grain will be out of contact. with the ground and exposed to the sun and air, where the grain Wlll properly cure or complete its ri eningaction, required for threshing. Pre erably, the driving rollers 25 are slightly larger in-diameter than the rollers 24, so that the rear belts 23 will move slightly faster than the belts 22. Also, the said conveyer belts are preferably provided with slats to increase their carrying efficiency.

Between the b'elts' 22 and 23, the platforms 11 are shown as provided with smooth deck sections, llhwhich prevent catching of the grain on the'pl'atform.

What I claim is:

conveying the cut grain to the central portion of the machine, the said conveying means being spaced apart to afford a discharge passa e throu h which the grain may .x be delivered ma windrow upon the ground.

upon the ground, substantially as described.

' 3. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a truck, of transversely spaced platforms carried at the front portion of said truck, cutting mechanism applied to the forward portions of said platforms, and

reversely and inwardly driven conveyers mounted on said-platforms and arranged to deliver the cut grain in a windrow upon the ground, through passages left between the platforms, substantially as 4. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a truck, of a pair of transversely spaced platforms adj ustably supported ,by and in front of said truc cutting mechanism-applied to the front portions of said platforms, and reversely and inwardly driven endless conveyers on said platforms, arranged to deliver the cut rain through the discharge passage formed between'the inner ends of said platforms, whereby said grain is deposited in a windrow upon the ground, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the kind described,--the combination with a truck having a pivoted front axle, of a air of'transversely spaced platforms carried by the front portion of said truck and connected to said pivoted front axle for horizontal oscillatory movements therewith, cutting mechanism on the front portion of said platforms, and reversely andmwardly'driven conveyers on said' platforms 1'. In a central delivery reaper, the combi- I nation with cutting mechanism, of means for arranged to deliver the cut rain upon the round between the inner en s of said platorms, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a machine of the kind described, the

combination with a truck having a ivoted Wheel-equipped frontaxle, and whic front axle is provided 'with wheel-equipped axle extensions connected for vertical pivotal,

\ having their base of reaction on said front axle, cutting mechanism on the front ortions of said platforms, and reversely an inwardly driven endless conveyers on said platforms, arran ed to deliver cut grain betweenthe innerien s of said platforms and in a windrow; upon the ground, substantially as describe r 7. ha machine of the kind described, the

combination with a truck having a pivoted: front axle and traction wheels 'journaled thereon, of a pair of platforms s aced apart at their inner ends and supporte in front of said traction wheels and front axle, but connected for horizontal oscillatory movements therewith, sickles mounted on the front portions of said platforms, endless conveyer belts mounted on said platforms, and sickle and conveyer driving mechanism driven from the traction wheels on the said pivoted axle, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the kind described, the

combination with a truck having a pivoted front axle and traction wheels mounted thereon, of wheel-equipped axle extensions connected to -said pivoted axle for independ ent vertical movements, latforms support:-

ed at the front oftlie mac 'no and connected to said pivoted front axle and the axle extensionsthereof, sickles on the front portions of said platforms, reversely and inwardly driven conveyer belts mounted on said platforms,

isms driven from the traction whee s on said pivoted front axle, substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the kind described, the -co1nbination with a truck, of a pair of transversely spaced platforms, sickles mounted on the ont portions of said platforms, and front and rear conveyer belts mounted on each platform, the rear conveyer belts being extended at their delivery portions closer together than the delivery ortion' of the forward conveyer belt, su stantially as described.

.10. In a machine of the kind described, the

combination with a truck having a wheel steeri movements, ofa lat-form connected to sai front axle for orizontal pivotal movements therewith, but for vertical adjustments in respect thereto, cutting and conveying mechanism on said platform, and a platform raisin and lowerin device arran ed to hold sai platform in iiferent vertica adjustments, but permitting free horizontal oscillatory movements thereof, substantially as described. 11. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with a truck having a wheel equipped pivoted front axle, of a platform connected to said front axle for horizontal oscillator movements therewith but with freedom or vertical pivotal movements, of two. operating devices on said truck, the one having connections for oscillating said front .axle to thereby steer the machine, and the other having connections for raising and lowering said platform, and cutting mechanism and conveying mechanism on said platform, substantiall as described.

In testimony wl iereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST HOVLAND.

\ Witnesses: MALIE I-lonL,

' F. D. MERCHANT.

equipped front axle pivotally connected for and sickle and conveyer belt drivin mechan- 

